big or little splits ?

[buddylee]

Splitting wood and wondering what's better. Always heard big splits burn longer but wondering why small splits wouldn't be better. Small splits dry out faster and are easier to handle. My main thought is why would big splits and rounds be better in a OWB if the idea is to fire up when needed and produce heat as needed. Any thoughts or experiences ?

 

[afblue]

Smaller splits do dry better, and they will burn better. Over the years I have noticed that spliting wood bigger "so it lasts longer" seems to be an old wise tale. In a gasser from everything i have read here is it burns alot better when its smaller. If its too large, you end up with charred logs in the fire box with no gas left in them. OWB and traditional wood boilers may tolerate larger splits becuase the splits will retain heat a little better to restart if the boiler is throttling the air and idling. But the observation I have made in my years is the fire inside any appliance be it a OWB, gasser, or a EPA stove, it will not burn clean and hot until the majority of the fuel in the fire box is up to operating temp. The longer it takes the mass of wood to heat, it smolders, and smokes.

 

[sparke]

My guess is, small well split wood burns too fast in an appliance like an OWB unless it is a gasifier. The firewood split like you mentioned works great in most modern, gasifying equipment. Those boilers extract every last BTU out of the wood.

The best thing you can do for the fuel in an OWB (or any boiler) is burn the driest wood possible. I would think dry rounds would work best once the coal bed is established vs. splits that will burn so fast you will lose too much heat energy up the chimney. Just my 2 coppers worth no idea if I am right or not : )

 

[muncybob]

I rarely wind up with any splits that I would call large but I do purposely split oak small to enhance the drying time. If I split too big I will hear about it from the Mrs.!

Splittin large does make stacking quicker though!

 

[jimbom]

Jay Shelton in "Solid Fuels Encyclopedia" on page 217, figure 14.-5 asserts that splits that weigh 6.5 pounds burn about 10% more efficiently than splits that weigh 1.6 pounds. All wood was at the same moisture content of 15%(moist/dry basis not specified). No backup data or information was given other than air tight stove operated to maintain a uniform average power output. He stated it was opposite for open burners such as fireplaces.